Fast and Furious: Sikeston turns up tempo in SEMO rout of Dexter

PJ Farmer (24) goes up for a shot during Sikeston's 79-37 win over Dexter in the opening round of the SEMO Conference at the Field House on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.

Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

SIKESTON — Patience may not be a trademark, but Sikeston showed plenty of it before speeding up the game and outclassing Dexter in the opening of the SEMO Conference on Tuesday, Dec. 10. 

Led by cousins PJ Farmer and Marquel Murray, the top-seeded Bulldogs (4-0) transformed a grind into a 79-37 statement win over the eighth-seeded Bearcats (3-1).

“Dexter is a physical and tough team that rebounds and does a lot of good things,” said Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield. “But in the second half, we played much better by picking up the tempo and pressuring the ball, which is the key to our success.”

Chris Artis Jr. (2) glides through the air during Sikeston's 79-37 win over Dexter in the opening round of the SEMO Conference at the Field House on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.

Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

Sikeston wasted no time setting the tone, as Farmer lobbed an alley-oop to fellow Southeast Missouri State signee Trace Sadler for the game’s first points. 

But the Bulldogs were forced to adjust when Farmer picked up two fouls in the opening two minutes and went to the bench. 

“It honestly kind of hurt our flow,” Holifield said. “But [Farmer] did a really good job once he got settled back in. He’s an outstanding player and he’s getting better all the time.”

Marquel Murray elevates for a dunk during Sikeston's 79-37 win over Dexter in the opening round of the SEMO Conference at the Field House on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.

Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

Farmer left his fingerprints all over the game, finishing with an efficient 13-of-16 shooting performance, while adding eight assists, six rebounds and five steals to power the Bulldogs. 

“We did start a little slow, but coach called a timeout and got us all riled up,” Farmer said. “I thought we finished strong after that.”

Chris Artis brought the crowd to its feet on a putback dunk to make it 4-1, but during Farmer’s absence, Sikeston briefly struggled to find its rhythm offensively.

Dexter responded with a 3-pointer from John Sepulvado to tie the game at 4-4 and even surged ahead, 8-4, behind baskets from Elijah Ibrahim and Devin Turnbo.

“Dexter did a great job of controlling tempo," Holifield said. "[Bearcats’ coach Chad] Allen is a terrific coach and always has his team ready to play. We didn’t have pressure on the basketball. We were a little flatfooted, but again, credit goes to them. They took us out of what we do.”

The Bearcats’ early lead was short-lived as the Bulldogs turned to their bread-and-butter: relentless defensive pressure and effort. 

Lekeron McCray got Sikeston back on track with a hard-nosed second-chance bucket, refusing to give up on the play. 

Moments later, Murray tore the house down, picking Dexter’s pocket near midcourt and hammering home a slam that shifted the momentum back to Sikeston.

“[Murray] is such a stellar player with a lot of ability,” Holifield said. “He’s learning our system and he’s just going to get more comfortable. I was proud of his effort.”

In his first appearance with the Bulldogs, Murray hit the ground running, putting up 16 points on 7-of-11 shots, alongside seven steals, three rebounds and two assists. 

By the end of the first quarter, Farmer returned to convert a 3-point play in the final seconds, giving Sikeston a 17-11 lead.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs ramped up the pressure, firmly taking control of the game. McCray knocked down a shot from the perimeter, Murray turned a steal into a reverse layup and Farmer powered through contact for an and-one finish, stretching the lead to 28-18 with 2:45 until halftime. 

McCray logged 13 points on 6-of-9 shots, with five rebounds, a steal and an assist. 

“[McCray] plays tough every day no matter if it is practice or a game,” Holifield said. “He’s consistent in everything he does, which is the key to success. He does a lot of great things.”

With the break approaching, Sikeston had built a solid 35-21 cushion, sparked by Tristan Wiggins’ 3-point shot, Farmer’s free-throw accuracy and Kobe Thomas’ fast-break finish. 

Another major storyline was Sadler’s dominance inside. The 7-foot-1 senior controlled the paint, recording four blocks — all in the second quarter — while playing with the discipline to avoid any fouls. 

Sadler finished with 10 points, all coming on the receiving end of alley-oops, converting 4-of-6 shots. His knack for altering shots without fouling, combined with his ability to finish above the rim forced the Bearcats to reconsider their approach at the rim.

“[Sadler] changed the game in the paint,” Holifield said. “He did a good job of defending. Those blocks changed the flow of everything.”

The second half belonged entirely to Sikeston. Murray continued to impress with another dunk and smooth 3-pointer, extending the advantage to 52-30. 

“It was a lot of fun,” Murray said. “I like the fast style of play. It felt good just to put a couple of points on the board. It was a strong start but I should be better each game.”

With the game well in hand, the Bulldogs’ lead ballooned to 30 points when Farmer finished a transition layup with 6:14 remaining. 

But Sikeston’s wasn’t content and kept it foot on the gas, pushing the lead to 40 when Thomas drilled a 3-pointer. 

Thomas chipped in 10 points on 4-of-6 shots, with two steals. 

“He’s a really good shooter,” Holifield said. “I want him shooting more. People don’t know how good of a shooter he is. I have a lot of confidence in Kobe Thomas.”

Sikeston’s other top contributors were Wiggins, who registered three points, hauled in nine boards, dished out three assists and grabbed a steal. A

Artis added four points, two offensive rebounds and a couple of assists, playing his part in the team’s all-around effort. 

Dexter takes on fifth-seeded Poplar Bluff (1-2) in the consolation bracket on Wednesday at 6 p.m., while Sikeston will face fourth-seeded Notre Dame (2-1) in the semifinal round on Thursday at 6 p.m.

“There a typically Notre Dame team,” Holifield concluded. “They’re physical, tough and well-coached and we are going to have to play well.”

SIKESTON 79, DEXTER 37

Dexter (37) — Devin Turnbo 9, Will Guethle 7, John Sepulvado 7, Elijah Ibrahim 6, Gibson Booker 6, Landon Annesser 2. FG: 13. FT: 7-10. F: 11. (3-pointers: Booker 2, Guethle 1, Sepulvado 1. Fouled out: None.)

Sikeston (79) — PJ Farmer 21, Marquel Murray 16, Lekereon McCray 13, Kobe Thomas 10, Trace Sadler 8, Chris Artis 4, Tristan Wiggins 3, Malachi Davis 2, Jaharus Goodwin 2. FG: 34. FT: 5-7. F: 15. (3-pointer: Murray 2, Thomas 2, Wiggins 1, McCray 1. Fouled out: None.)